Denis Calvaert

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The Mystic Marriage of St. Catherine

Agony in the Garden of Gethsemani

The Presentation of St. Mary

Denis Calvaert or Denys Calvaert (1540-1619) was a Flemish painter born at Antwerp but living mostly in Italy where he was known as Il Fiammingo (the Fleming). Calvaert was a profound student of architecture, anatomy, and history, exceedingly accurate in perspective and graceful in design. His colouring is full and rich, his execution suave and accurate and, although there is something of an awkward stillness in the movements of his figures and an academic mannerism in his grouping, yet in composition he was far ahead of his rivals and in colouring undoubtedly their superior. As an instructor few excelled him. His principal works are to be seen at Bologna, Florence, St. Petersburg, Parma, and Caen, and many of his pictures have been engraved. His life was one of great devotion to his art and his faith, and he was greatly respected in Bologna.

After studying landscape-painting for some time in his native city (the Antwerp "Record of Artists" or "Liggeren" (1556-57), gives his name as Caluwaert), he first studied under Christiaen van Queecborn he went to Bologna, where he perfected himself in the anatomy of the human form under Prospero Fontana, and so completely lost the mannerism of Flemish art that his paintings appear to be the work of an Italian. From Bologna he went to Rome in 1527, where he assisted Lorenzo Sabbatini in his works for the papal palace of the Vatican, and devoted much of his time to copying and studying the works of Raphael. He ultimately returned to Bologna and founded a school, of which the greatest ornaments are Guido Reni, Francesco Albani and Domenichino. The rival school in Bologna was that of the Carracci, but Calvaert was so respected in the city that on his decease Ludovico Carracci attended his funeral in the Servite church and brought with him all his pupils. His works are especially admired for the power of grouping and coloring which they display.